Deploying a Managed Pressure Drilling System Based on NI LabVIEW and NI Comp...

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Deploying a Managed Pressure Drilling System Based on NI LabVIEW and NI Compact

FieldPoint
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Author(s):
Jason Hannam - Impact Drilling

Industry:
Oil and Gas

Products:
Compact FieldPoint, LabVIEW, Control Design and Simulation Module, Real-Time
Module

The Challenge:
Designing a flexible control system so that operators can retrofit existing equipment
to achieve managed pressure drilling. Enlarge

The Solution:
Using the NI LabVIEW graphical programming environment and National Using LabVIEW, system designers implemented
Instruments programmable automation controllers (PACs) to implement control the adaptive and flexible control algorithms at the
algorithms and provide the necessary open connectivity to devices on existing center of the Secure Drilling system.
drilling platforms.

"This single HMI and logic development environment of LabVIEW makes deployment of
the control system simple because the HMI is built in the same environment as the
control system. "

Managed pressure drilling is a technique that tracks the complete pressure profile of a well during the drilling process while dynamically
adapting to well conditions to meet desired drilling parameters. Impact Solutions Group, a leader in drilling and production technologies,
developed a patented managed pressure drilling technology called Secure Drilling based on LabVIEW and National Instruments PACs. We
have deployed our Secure Drilling technology in operations at numerous cocompanies including Petrobras, Chevron, PEMEX, and
Schlumberger.

The Secure Drilling method is a managed pressure drilling system based on the patented Micro-Flux Control method that monitors the
dynamic flow rates in and out of the well. With high-speed monitoring and advanced adaptive control technologies, the Secure Drilling system
can automatically control the back pressure at the surface to maintain well control. This technique allows for nearly overbalanced or
underbalanced drilling using constant bottom-hole pressure, constant injection pressure, and other control points as deemed necessary by
drilling engineers. The benefits of managed pressure drilling include:

Capability to drill wells that were previously challenging

Increased protection for personnel, equipment, and formation
Decreased drilling and completion time

Flexible Control Algorithms

Using LabVIEW, system designers implemented the adaptive and flexible control algorithms at the center of the Secure Drilling system. A
state machine architecture was developed using the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to monitor six process variables and perform real-time data
trending. The system functions in two modes: user controlled, with automatic alarm generation, or active control. In active control mode, the
program uses one of three control algorithms:

LabVIEW PID control algorithms with gain scheduling

LabVIEW implementation of the Cybosoft Model-Free Adaptive (MFA) control software
LabVIEW fuzzy logic control algorithms
Control Design and Simulation for Validation of Control Algorithms

With the flexibility of LabVIEW Real-Time, designers implemented advanced control techniques available in LabVIEW and from third-party
vendors such as Cybosoft. System designers also selected the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module to design and simulate the
control algorithms before deployment. With these design tools, system designers collect real world-data and then pass this data to the control
algorithms in development to simulate real-world conditions before deploying them to actual operating drilling rigs. With this process,
designers test and validate the implementation of the control algorithms in the office instead of in the field.

A Single HMI and Logic Development Environment

The LabVIEW graphical development environment also offers the flexibility necessary to implement a control design and simulation system to
test the algorithms and an integrated human machine interface (HMI) using the LabVIEW front panel. This single HMI and logic development
environment of LabVIEW makes deployment of the control system simple because the HMI is built in the same environment as the control
system.

http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-11281 28/12/2009